Mumbai: Force Motors has supplied 46 Gurkha SUVs to the Kerala Police for border patrolling and other related activities.
The vehicles were inducted in the state police department's fleet on February 11.
Force Motors bagged the order for the supply of the all-new Gurkha from the state government after a competitive bidding, the company said.
The four wheel drive, air-conditioned vehicle can accommodate six people. A vehicle cost Rs 13.25 lakh. Earlier, Kerala Police had used Mahindra vehicles for off-road purposes, this is the first time that they are buying Force Gurkha 4X4.
The automaker said it has developed Gurkha police vans as per exacting standard set by the police department, adding, the vehicles are equipped with high-intensity rooftop flashing lights, siren, and emblem of Kerala State Police department with seating modified as per their requirement.
"We are very happy that the Kerala State Police Department has reposed trust in the Gurkha. This is a small but significant step in creating indigenous specialist vehicles for the police force," said N Sankar, Head for Gurkha sales at Force Motors.
Strongman Gurkha
The new Gurkha comes with a new BSVI-compliant 2.6 litre 91bhp Mercedes derived common rail, direct injection, turbocharged diesel engine mated to a five-speed Mercedes G-28 transmission.
It gives the Gurkha ample power to cruise at triple-digit figures on the highways and sufficient low-end torque (250Nm @1400 2400 rpm) to negotiate slopes of 35 degrees in 4x4 low first gear in the crawl mode, and also wade through streams of up to 700mm depth.
The new Gurkha is 22mm longer and 20mm taller than its predecessor. The Gurkha 2021 is built on a ground-up modular architecture. It also offers a turning circle radius of 5.65m.
(With inputs from PTI)
